Govt reacts to HH threat to submit Sata, Jere’ names to International Court of Justice

Chief Government Spokesperson Kennedy Sakeni has advised opposition UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema not to alarm the nation with his threats to submit President Michael Sata and Deputy Inspector General of Police, Solomon Jere’s names to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

Mr. Sakeni said there was no crisis in Zambia that would warrant the intervention of the International Court of Justice as suggested by the United Party for National Development (UPND) President Hakainde Hichilema.

He was reaction to opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema’s threats to submit names of President Sata and Dr. Jere to the ICJ for alleged selective justice and violation of human rights.

“There are no problems in Zambia that warrant the attention of the ICJ. He should not mislead people in the manner that he claims. The ICJ doesn’t tolerate such lies,” Mr. Sakeni said.

Mr. Sakeni advised Mr. Hichilema not to trivialise the operations of the ICJ by claiming that the situation in Zambia had deteriorated and therefore required the attention of the court.

He said Mr. Hichilema should learn from countries that had taken channel of seeking the ICJ’s intervention and observe the gravity of the matters they submitted and compared them to what was pertaining in Zambia.

He disputed assertions that Zambia had a crisis which required the attention of the ICJ and advised Mr. Hichilema not to mislead the international community by making false alarms.

Mr. Sakeni said Mr. Hichilema was a wrong person to start talking about the ICJ adding that he doesn’t understand how it operates.

He instead advised the opposition leader to just keep quiet and concentrate on preparing for the 2016 general elections.

He stated that government will continue on the path of national development which it has taken instead of listening to continued attacks from the opposition.

And Deputy Inspector General of Police Dr Solomon Jere said he would not comment on the Mr. Hichilema’s.

Dr. Jere told ZANIS in Lusaka today that in his capacity as Deputy Inspector General of Police and on his personal capacity, he could not comment over the threats coming from the opposition leader.

Mr. Hichilema said at a press briefing in Lusaka recently that despite President Sata enjoying immunity, he would submit his name to the ICJ and that of Dr. Jere for alleged selectively harassment of opposition political members.